Why is it like it is? (causation)

The Chinese first used coal. Mining for coal is very dangerous. Since 1900, 100,000 people have died mining for coal. Even American Indians used coal long before the white settlers did. Until the 1900's, drilling for petroleum was a financial risk. Burning fossil fuels creates a lot of pollution. Oil, gasoline and natural gas account for about 60% of global consumption. Unfortunately, our current rate of consummation, we probably won't have enough oil and gas to last threw the next century.